Kendrick Responds to High Praise From Nas

Nas paid freshman rap star Kendrick Lamarquite the compliment when, during a recent interview, he called his debut album, good kid, m.A.A.d. city, his favorite album of last year. Lamar first learned about the comments while speaking with Fuse recently and seemed genuinely surprised and humbled.

"That's crazy, I didn't hear that," he said. "That's amazing, just off the fact that it's Nas."

Lamar said the props were particularly meaningful given how much he's looked up to the Queensbridge icon.

"You can hear the influence on my music, you hear the influence on my storytelling," he said. "For somebody that's been an elite player in this game for so many years, a veteran as far as longevity and skill, that's an accomplishment just on words alone."

Speaking with the Associated Press earlier this month, Nas said he was "really happy" about GKMC, Lamar's major label debut for Interscope.

"I needed that," he said. "His record reaches you. It gives you hope."